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Whole Foods and the Mind

Yangsi Rinpoche during one of his teachings made a very interesting comparison between eating healthy and working with the mind. I thought it was so very cleverly put together and appropriate because many people who are interested in Buddhism are also more likely to be interested in organic foods and healthy living options.

Ideal Healthy Conditions

He made an interesting comment, saying that people go out of their way to make sure they have the best nourishment for their body. This includes the best organic foods, and even limiting their gluten intake. Despite all this care, time, and money put into taking the body, often little care is put into the mind. The body gets the most expensive and best materials, while the mind and feelings often get treated so cheaply.

While I think this may seem like common sense, the point he was making is that even if someone spent hours taking care of the body, failing to look after the mind creates an unpleasant living condition that eventually overtakes many of the positive benefits that come from living healthy.

While I’m sure many people would like to argue against this, saying that nutrition plays a big role in feeling happy, I think the point he’s making is very good. It’s important to take the extra step and to go beyond just watching calorie and nutritional intake, but to watch what goes in and out through the three doors of the body, speech, and mind.

2 thoughts on “Whole Foods and the Mind”

I recently listened to an audio teaching by Ven. Chodron in which she talked about taking care of the body not for the purpose of looks but because it’s our vehicle to practice the Dharma. I know that diet can impact not only how we feel but how we experience our mind… it’s interesting to think about how we can strike a balance.